#it could be epic…

[mcybree]

@spacetrashpile scott aro headcanon incident fanart from oku isn’t this a beautiful world. its also depicting me as the next target which can only spell out good things

[m1tsuk1d0t]

Five minutes before god games:

[meziniart]

Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves

[adrift-in-thyme]

There’s something terribly poetic in the inevitability of events in EPIC. The choices Odysseus is given lead to no win situations. They aren’t really choices at all.

Kill a foe’s child or witness the death of your own. Sacrifice six men or sacrifice them all. Allow your crew to starve or watch as they slaughter sacred cattle.

Sacrifice your friends, your brothers, or give up your last chance at reaching home.

In the end, the result is always the same. He destroys himself

[gabichanwrites]

Just realized that if only Poseidon went straight to Ithaca and asked for Odysseus, Penelope could do the biggest gamble of them all and get one of the suitors in SUCH DEEP SHIT.

Poseidon: "Odysseus of Ithaca! Tell me this instant where is this mortal who dared to hurt my son and try to lie about his name!

Penelope: ...

Suitors: ....

Penelope: *stops weaving*

Penelope: *pointing right at Antonius* There he is! This one is Odysseus, my husband and king of Ithaca! Please don't sink us, almighty god of the sea!

Antonius: What? I'm not Odysseus, I--

Penelope: Of course he would say that! He's a liar!

Poseidon: *has no reason to not believe her, wipes him out effortlessly*

Then Odysseus comes back like "It's me, Penelope! Your husband!"

Penelope: "No, you're not. From now on your name is Agamemnon the Greater and the new lover I marry to make king."

Odysseus: *grumbling* why after Agamemnon though...

AND HOW WOULD POSEIDON EVER KNOW?!

[awnrii]

this is a robbery give me your telemachus design if you have one now

of course! my favourite boy

[amnenome]

Other Odyssey AU- the umbrella academy meme

- alt version where Penelope gets the suitors to sail her to Troy “since you’re so concerned about my damn husband”

[dionysism]

epic odysseus: no athena i will not "finish it." mercy is a skill more of this world could learn to use

odysseus in the odyssey, shouting from his ship as his men beg him to stfu: lF ONLY I COULD STEAL YOUR LIFE FROM YOU, AND SEND YOU DOWN TO HADES' HOUSE BELOW, AS SURE NOBODY WILL EVER HEAL YOU, EVEN THE GOD OF EARTHQUAKES!

[prettydjarinsoloinspires]

anyway the person Loki went back to ultimately ask what he should do was Mobius.

the person who couldn’t continue the job they’d been doing for eons because it was too painful without Loki was Mobius.

the person who stood alone in the second to last shot was Mobius.

the person who’s voice Loki heard at the end of time was Mobius.

if you don’t think that’s winning i don’t know what to tell you.

give me painful, bittersweet, star-crossed lovers over nothing at all any day.

[letsplaythermalnuclearwar]

Homer!Odysseus and Epic!Odysseus would try to kill each other if they ever met

[ilynpilled]

still love the way grrm decided to write this so damn much. other than the obvious romantic undertones of it all the “so he did” is so terse and simple and blunt as if it is the most straightforward and obvious thing in the world for him. jumping unarmed into a pit with a live bear to try save this woman is the most sound thing in the world. wanting her is the most sound thing in the world. doing the right thing is the most sound thing in the world. there is no justification for even a blink of hesitation. so he did.

[epicthemusicalstuff]

The Cattle of the Sun God

I drew Helios’ Cattle!!

[mushroom-through-the-stargate]

Odysseus : -and if i have to drop another infant from a wall in an instant so we all dont die, then I'll become the monster!

his men, watching him slip into madness and admit to infanticide :

[morningsaidthemoon]

Excerpt from The Song of Roland, translated by Norma Lorre Goodrich (Medieval Myths)

[mellxncollie]

PAINLAND WEEK - DAY TWO - MYTHS/LEGENDS → Sophus Helle, Gilgamesh — tablet XII, lines 87-95

[gabichanwrites]

I think that way too many people gloss over the reason why exactly those 6 men were such a big deal and a last straw for the crew and Eurylychous. Up to this point Odysseus made mistakes, yes, and people died because of them but never before has Odysseus made such a deliberate sacrifice.

Before this, he was still their Capitan - a bit arrogant, too prone to playing into Gods' Games and with a damnation right on his heels - but still on their side. Not to mention that this saga happens SO soon after Circe Saga, where he CAME BACK for them, put himself in grave danger and risked his return home to save THEM. Since the wind bag fuck up, this crew must have regained so much trust in him, Eurylychous must have felt so indebted and plagued by his own guilt because of his actions in Ocean Saga and Circe Saga. Because despite their doubts and question of How Much Longer Till His Luck Runs Out, their Capitan still came and saved them.

And then the Different Beast happens and it's ruthless and cruel but it's against their enemies, it feels like protection, no doubt. It's their Capitan making sure that they can make it home, that no other monster will follow them and make it impossible.

But then the Scylla happens and it never has been more clearer than there. Eurylychous would not be that furious if he didn't realize and he IS a second-in-command, he is not stupid. Six men who held the torches died and it was by Odysseus' order. This is no longer slaying every foe on the way home, this is Odysseus willing to sacrifice even them. Is it the same capitan who came back for them on Circe's island, is the same who always did everything he could to make sure they all made it back? How Are They Supposed To Trust Him Now?

This situation is so fucked and both sides have their point, I'm so sick of seeing posts putting the full blame on either side. They are all human and stressed and they don't know what to trust, what to do to come back home - and the worst part of it all, they probably never stood a chance.

After all, Zeus has already said they The Blood On Your Hands Is Something You Can't Lose, All You Can Choose Is Whose.